Antarctica and its whales have always been at the heart of our mission. Yet, an alarming crisis continues in the Southern Ocean: krill supertrawlers are invading critical whale feeding grounds, threatening these magnificent creatures in more damaging ways than ever before.

For decades, Sea Shepherd has taken direct action to defend our ocean and its marine wildlife. Since 2016 alone, our relentless efforts have led to the arrest of over 90 illegal fishing vessels and saved millions of lives at sea. But now, we face an even greater challenge—the fight against legal fishing.

Krill is a keystone species – the crucial foundation of the Antarctic food chain.

A single krill supertrawler can bring in a catch of 500 metric tonnes each day. 500 metric tonnes is equivalent to what 150 humpback whales would eat per day. This is not sustainable long term and, if allowed to continue, will cause the fragile ecosystem to collapse.

In 2023, undeniable evidence of supertrawlers ploughing through megapods of whales was captured by crew aboard the Allankay and played a crucial role in preventing the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) from doubling their quota.

Yet, in 2024, when photographic evidence revealed that at least three whales were killed by entanglement in fishing gear aboard Norwegian and Chilean supertrawlers, a proposal to create a Marine Protected Area was blocked by just two member states - Russia and China (due to CCAMLR’s requirement for unanimous consensus on conservation measures).

With your help we will increase the pressure to protect Antarctica by opening new battle fronts to stop the exploitation of marine wildlife.

Sea Shepherd’s Allankay will be hounding the krill supertrawlers with our cameras, exposing their destructive fishing activity. 

We will be combating disinformation by the fishing industry and fighting to gain more support for Marine Protected Areas.

Additionally, because the companies behind the fishing trawlers are largely faceless, we’ll be going after those that sell krill products, tackling the issue from every angle.

Your donation is more than just financial support - it gives the whales, the krill, and the entire Antarctic ecosystem a fighting chance. Together, we can create a future where marine wildlife is protected, not sacrificed for profit.